Despite a ‘misrepresentation’, Guwahati Trade strike successful
The traders strike in Guwahati against hike in trade license fees was a grand success despite a ‘misrepresentation’ by Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC). All Guwahati Traders’ Association (AGTA), a federation of several retailers’ organizations gave a call for 12-hour trade strike on 18th April, in protest of three times hike in trade license fees by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). Another federation of merchants, namely, Assam Chamber of Commerce (ACC) also launched agitation on the same issue. But the Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC), representing big business houses and wholesalers, controlling the economic affairs of Guwahati as well as the entire northeastern region, so far kept silence on the issue and on the eve of strike created confusion among the people announcing ‘withdrawal of strike’. It was interesting to note that an organization like KCC, which was not a party to the agitation, had a ‘secret discussion’ with the officials of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and announced the withdrawal of the strike for which it had not given a call. However, the retailers of the city fully aware of the facts did not pay attention to the rumors.
The retailers are the worst affected by GMC’s unilateral decision of hike in trade license fees. Most of small traders are not in position to earn even two meals a day for their family due to lack of capital to run their business. If they have to pay more on trade license fees and other taxes they would have to close down their business. The GMC officials do not respond to the memoranda and letters of the agitating organizations, instead they try to create misunderstanding through another organization of ‘their interest’. It has been alleged by the traders that the GMC has failed to provide even basic amenities and develop the markets, because of rampant corruption and that is why it does not try to collect funds from other resources by increasing its network to other spheres. Instead it always tries to impose more and more levies and taxes on those who abide by the law and pay them regularly. A number of traders, contractors and professionals carry on business without trade licenses, but the GMC does not dare to approach them. If all the traders are given trade licenses, the GMC may earn more money and even the present trade license fees could be reduced, feel traders. It is only possible by a clean and transparent management of the affairs, which the GMC lacks. However, due to Lok Sabha elections the GMC could not react being afraid of violation of code of conduct.
Random Stories
2 Jul 2012 - 1:47am |
Chandan Kumar Duarah
CERN will give update very soon on search for ‘God particle’. The elusive particle which is the theoretical missing link in the standard model of physics believed to be what gives objects...
4 Mar 2011 - 2:14am |
Anup Biswas
The Jadikhe Naisho Hoshom (JNH), the Dimasa Apex Body, Central Committee, Haflong Dima Hasao District, and the Waimijing (NGO), Haflong, condemned in the strongest of terms the Grenade blast which...
23 Nov 2010 - 3:29pm |
Juthika Das
Indian Army in its endeavour to motivate youths to join Indian Army, organised a Lecture cum Talk on “Career in the Armed Forces” at “Dakshin Bijni Adarsh Vidyapeeth Higher...
17 Feb 2010 - 7:44pm |
Jayanta Kumar Das
In pursuance with its endeavor for peace and development in Udalguri district 315 Field Regiment (KARGIL) of the Red Horns Division inaugurated a multi purpose vocational training centre in village...
Other Contents by Author
The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi had expressed his views on the importance of 'healthy work culture' in the Harijan newspaper of 15th October,1938, emphasizing on hard work by the people of the country for attaining the goal of freedom. He dared to declare that 'declaring his birthday as a holiday should be treated as a cognizable offence'. This was a clear indication that the 'Great Soul' was confident of the might of his people, which later on succeeded in bringing freedom to the country. His experiments on Swadeshi movement brought good results. But it seems that the present situation has completely changed the whole thing and Mahatma’s dreams are shattered.Unfortunately, with...
The most respected and appreciated growth of the print media in Assam and particularly in Guwahati, for more than a decade seems to have taken a destructive path giving birth to a trend of malice among the communities they belong. It is now being used for personal grudge among the so called high profile people in the society.Since most of the media houses are controlled by major business houses, it has been noticed that they have themselves become news for last few months through their own acts and publication. Recently, it has been noticed that a few vernacular news papers defying all the ethics of journalism, have started mudslinging on their rivals for quite some time. Knowing it very...
Since the year 1989, Guwahati, the gateway to the north eastern India, has seen a mushroom growth in the Fourth Estate with entry of a number of newspapers and periodicals in various languages. Earlier, a few English and Assamese newspapers were published in Guwahati. For getting the major and detailed news, the people had to wait till evening for newspapers from Delhi and Kolkata. No doubt the haphazard growth in the print media gave an opportunity to a large number of unemployed educated youths to join this challenging profession of prestige. With the information technology witnessing development at fast pace, the media houses failed to get the competent and trained workforce to...
India’s Lok Sabha polls in 2014, has brought a significant change in political scenario of the country after a decade’s rule of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the century old Indian National Congress (INC). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has come to power after ten years’ of struggle under the leadership of Narendra Modi, former chief minister of Gujarat. Although the BJP has got absolute majority in the polls, it has kept its flock together giving all the pre-poll alliance members their due share in the administration. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has assured the countrymen of fair deal in the interest of all sections of the...
Problem-torn state of Assam for several years is now passing through a critical situation on which the Congress Party-led state government seems to have turned deaf ears and eyes-shut, despite hectic efforts of local people, NGOs and media covering the news from each and every corner of the state. The party in power for last thirteen years is divided among several factions contesting to gain maximum benefit out of the prevailing situation. The entire state is running under serious violence related to burning houses of inmates, murder, theft, communal hatred, abduction, indecent behavior against womenfolk and aged persons, but the administration is standstill. Criminals are active and have...
Ignoring their leaders directive Reang refugees from various Tripura camps are moving to their homeland in Mizoram in disguise. For about fifteen years of hardship in various refugee camps of Tripura, the evacuated people from their homes seem to have lost confidence in their leaders, who did not agree to return to their homeland despite several proposals for their safe return to their state. A recent media report says that so far 631 people belonging to 124 families have returned to their homes under disguise. However, according to Tripura government sources only 178 members of 27 families have gone so far. Thousands of Reangs were driven out of their homes due to conflicts with Mizo...
Failures of Congress Party in the state of Assam during recently concluded Lok Sabha polls has shattered the dreams of state chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, who had promised before the Congress high command to win more than half of the total seats for his party. The state has 14 parliamentary seats, out of which Congress could get 3 (three) seats only. The ‘courageous’ chief minister did not lose heart even at this defeat. The defeat led the Congress party in turmoil and some legislators of the party revolted against the leader of the House and demanded change in the leadership. The chief minister refused to bow down on the demands of those who desired the appointment of a new leader to lead...
India claims to be the largest democratic country in the world. In a country where majority of people do not get proper education about their status other than to vote for a political party or an individual on the basis of their ‘vague assurances’ to look into their welfare being in power only does not carry any meaning. India’s constitution provided specific conditions to educate the people within shortest time after independence, so that they could be in position to think about right or wrong policies of the government and raise their voice against the ‘evil designs’ of their destiny makers. The constitution has been amended hundred times, but the people in general could not be benefitted...
Will power has an important role in human life and those who have stamina to fight all odds, set an example for others to follow for a successful life. Even disability can be defeated if a person has determination to lead a peaceful life. We find a number of cases in the world when people lose heart on their failures in life. At the same time there are certain exceptions, who despite many odds in their life make it worth living by their strong will power. Here is an example of the life of a person who came out from a small village of Siyani Belchhi in the district of Jamui in Bihar. Born on January 2,1952, Rakesh Pathak became a handicap suffering from paralysis in his right leg at his...
The election process for the 16th Lok Sabha in India is going on full swing and by the middle of May 2014, the complete picture of winning candidates would come out. The reign of the country for the next five years would go in the hands of mostly new faces. As there is a ‘good crop’ of leaders spreading throughout the 29 states and seven Union territories having a number of political parties spread throughout the country facing different administrative, natural and environmental problems, the election results are not likely to go for a single party rule. Speculations are on the air that post poll polarization of political forces may take place just after the final poll results are...
Add new comment